I see them on my local CL quite a bit. The owners must think they are made of gold as they ask $200+ for them. Maybe some one buys them to relieve there youth. I road one at a bike rally and it was like trying to ride through mud. Slow and heavy.
Ed

I see them on my local CL quite a bit. The owners must think they are made of gold as they ask $200+ for them. Maybe some one buys them to relieve there youth. I road one at a bike rally and it was like trying to ride through mud. Slow and heavy.
Ed

The old EF Chicago Schwinns commonly bring $150 around here, if they are in pristine, ready to ride condition. Hipsters in particular are drawn to the "look" of the EF Schwinns. I have two Continentals and a Varsity in the queue right now. Just need to get motivated to finish them.

Well, no not really. When the Continental at 35lbs and the Varsity at 37+lbs were at their peak sales, the Raleigh Record was available at about the same price weighing in at 28-29lbs. The Schwinn electroforged bikes were durable and well made, with better components than the Raleigh, but never "light weights" except in the minds of the Schwinn Marketing department.

Well, no not really. When the Continental at 35lbs and the Varsity at 37+lbs were at their peak sales, the Raleigh Record was available at about the same price weighing in at 28-29lbs. The Schwinn electroforged bikes were durable and well made, with better components than the Raleigh, but never "light weights" except in the minds of the Schwinn Marketing department.

+100 I grew up with a 1971 Continental. It was a porker, and it greatly outweighed to lower end bikes from other mfrs back then. When my Continental was stolen, I bought a Peugeot UO8 to replace it. Weighed in the 28-29 pound range, and with some simple changes, I got it down to 25 pounds or less.

The old EF Schwinns have a special look, and are just about indestructible. For a long time, I ignored Schwinns due to my experience with the old heavy ones I had as a kid. But now I have gone full circle, with a garage full of Schwinns (but all light weight, up the food chain quite a bit, and all from the 1980s or newer). And most of them made in Japan....

I got a 1972 Continental for 20 dollars. It's pretty rusty and needs work, but it was the original owner and all original parts. So I am excited to restore it and really work through my first bike! And I also am going to pick up another free 1974 Continental this week for free. Maybe they aren't the best bikes, but they seem to be pretty good cheap options for my first bike restores.

I got a 1972 Continental for 20 dollars. It's pretty rusty and needs work, but it was the original owner and all original parts. So I am excited to restore it and really work through my first bike! And I also am going to pick up another free 1974 Continental this week for free. Maybe they aren't the best bikes, but they seem to be pretty good cheap options for my first bike restores.

Perfect scenarios for first bikes.....not too much dough to start and you should get your money (not labor; NEVER labor) back if you sell them.....good luck!!!